Thursday, June 22, 2017

I recently got my first "real" cell phone. I'm not a phone person at all, and I've always just shared an old Tracfone with my mom for emergencies. But Kenny added a line to his phone plan for me this past month, and with that came a new phone. The main advantage of this is that I can now text Kenny easily and more often, of course. :) But I have to admit that it's also nice to have the ability to take pictures without dragging along my camera.

And I have Instagram now. I've been browsing through the amazing yarny and knitting community on there for at least a year now, and I even made an account several months ago on my computer so I could more easily keep up with my favorite accounts. But until I got the new phone, I wasn't able to actually post pictures.

I'm not good at photography, so don't expect amazing pictures and a gorgeous, cohesive look. But if you'd like to see what I'm up to (knitting, reading, and possibly wedding/house stuff?) on a somewhat daily basis, feel free to check it out. I much prefer blogging and have no intention of giving it up, but Instagram is a nice filler in between posts. :)

Monday, June 5, 2017

For several years, I made a summer reading list. (I skipped last year.) My reading has been a little off lately, so I thought trying a list again this summer might motivate me to read more. With everything that's going on, I'm sure this list is much too optimistic, but I'm not expecting to actually finish all of these! So here's what I'm hoping to read between now and August or the beginning of September...

Travel/Memoirs:

Raising Demons, by Shirley Jackson. Because I want to read everything by her, and I enjoyed her first memoir-ish book: Life Among the Savages.How the Heather Looks, by Joan Bodger. This has been on my to-read list forever. It's travel memoir meets English children's literature...could anything be more perfect for me? In a Sunburned Country, by Bill Bryson. It's been a while since I read anything by Bill Bryson, and his Australian book seems appropriate for summer.Relish: My Life in the Kitchen, by Lucy Knisley. Hoping this one will encourage me to learn how to cook. :)

Children's Literature:

Going Solo, by Roald Dahl. Again, I've been meaning to read this forever. (It's also a memoir.)The Titan's Curse, by Rick Riordan. Still working my way through this series, rather sporadically! Raymie Nightingale, by Kate DiCamillo. I always love her books, and this one seems especially summer-ish. Also, the cover is adorable. The Trumpet of the Swan, by E.B. White. I love Charlotte's Web. I might have read this in elementary school, but I remember nothing about it. It's one I pulled off my shelf randomly to add to the list.

Miscellaneous:

4:50 from Paddington, by Agatha Christie. Because a Miss Marple mystery is always a good idea! I've seen the TV version of this, but I don't remember too much about the plot or the mystery.East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. This book is huge and intimidating. I want to read it sometime this year, though I'm not sure I'll get to it this summer. The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, by Julie Klassen. It's been too long since I read some historical fiction. Reflections on the Psalms, by C.S. Lewis. It's also been too long since I read some new-to-me C.S. Lewis! I found this brand-new at a library sale last year and would like to read it soon. To All the Boys I've Loved Before trilogy, by Jenny Han. Now that the third and final book has been released, I'd really like to finish this trilogy. I read the first book several year ago, so I want to reread it before picking up the other two. (I don't have the third one yet...I don't want to buy it unless I really enjoy the second book so that's why it's not pictured.)

Friday, June 2, 2017

It's been a while since I've had enough knitting happening to justify a post about my works in progress. For most of this year I've been in a knitting slump, but right now I'm having the opposite problem...wanting to cast on all the things when I already have enough to keep me busy!

I started some plain socks out of this beautiful sparkly yarn, which unfortunately doesn't look nearly as pretty in pictures as it really is. I'm currently working on the heel flap of the first sock. It would probably have been finished by now if I hadn't gotten distracted by some new sock yarn I ordered from Makers Haven. It arrived last Saturday, and I cast on that day. These are going to be shorter socks, because I purchased smaller skeins, but that means they go by so quickly...I'm already on the foot of the first sock.

A couple of weeks ago, I finally cast on a practical sweater project that I've been needing to make for a while. I have two constantly worn, lightweight cotton cardigans (black and brown) that I bought at Target years ago that I want to replace with handknitted sweaters. So this is the start of my black one: the Dexter cardigan in Bartlett Yarn sportweight. It's not soft but it's sturdy, rustic American wool and will hopefully last forever. I love watching top down raglan sweaters grow in their funny shape.

As for another kind of work in progress....we've been working on the little house where Kenny and I will live after we're married in October. (Honestly, I still can't believe it, you guys. I write something like that and then think, what?? I'm actually getting married?) The house is on my parents' farm property, basically next door. It's not very old (built in the late 70s, we think), but some leaks and shoddy work over the years have caused problems. I wanted to post some "before" pictures, because right now the house probably looks worse than it ever has, ha. (And hopefully by October I can share some lovely "after" pictures!) We've torn up all the floors, except in the one room where it was salvageable, and we have to get some of the damaged subflooring replaced before we can have new floors put down. We've done some cosmetic projects (painting, little repairs, new hardware and stain on the cabinets- which was an amazing improvement in itself!), and we have a few more to go (new countertop, bathroom sink, etc.). But the floors are the biggest hurdle right now. I am so excited for the little house to be our cozy home, but it's currently a bit of a disaster.

So that's basically what's going on with me. (Wedding planning is happening, too. Mom and I are going with the dressmaker tomorrow to pick out wedding dress fabric, which I'm very excited and nervous about!) I'll be back soon with my hilariously optimistic summer reading list. :)